BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --The Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority will pay $160,000 in a severance agreement with its executive director, who has agreed to resign next month.

The BJCTA board today quietly approved an agreement ending Peter Behrman's less than two-year tenure at the authority.

Behrman's departure comes by what officials described as a "mutual agreement" following months of speculation over his future and criticism from board members and Birmingham leaders.

Under the agreement, Behrman leaves his post March 31, will be paid $160,000 and agrees not to sue the agency. The document also strips Behrman of much of his authority in his remaining weeks, prohibiting him from initiating any contact with city officials or employees.

Behrman "shall instead delegate these matters to other staff after notification of the Executive Committee of the BJCTA," the agreement states.

Several officials, including BJCTA Board Chairman Patrick Sellers, Birmingham Mayor William Bell and and City Councilwoman Kim Rafferty, have assailed Behrman's leadership, blaming him for false threats of looming service shutdowns and deficits.

Behrman blamed last year's budget crisis on the system's longstanding and inadequate budgeting practices, which failed to separate operating and capital money. He said those issues were resolved under his watch.

Sellers said a search for a new director will begin immediately.

"We wish Mr. Behrman the best in his future endeavors and thank him for his contribution to the BJCTA," he said. "We will continue to make improvements to all aspects of transit."

In an interview this afternoon, Behrman said he was proud of his short tenure here, which included hiring new leadership in maintenance and customer service.

"Bringing these folks along, I feel, is my greatest achievement," he said. "I'm proud of just about everybody I've hired. I think my batting average is about three out of four."

Behrman defended his fiscal management of the system and budgetary policy changes he instituted.

"The BJCTA is in a better financial position that it has been in years," he said. "The irony of all the phony allegations about me is we're really in good financial shape."

The BJCTA this morning met for less then three minutes following a more than two-hour delay. The meeting was supposed to begin at 8:30 a.m. but did not begin until past 10:30.

Board members gave no comment from the dais and adjourned after approving the separation agreement, stirring the ire of residents and riders who were in the audience waiting for more details. Neither the agreement nor the resolution accepting it was read aloud.

"What's the resolution, for heaven's sake? Is this democracy or not?" demanded transit advocate John Wright Jr. "We've just seen a puppet show."

Others in the audience also expressed frustration after waiting so long. "This is ridiculous," several others said.

Scott Douglas of Greater Birmingham Ministries also expressed disappointment and said the board was wrong to push out Behrman.

"Peter Behrman was one of the most competent and effective transit directors in the history of MAX," Douglas said. "The only thing I can figure out is a bigger politics is at play. They're getting rid of a competent and effective administrator so they can privatize the system. It's privatization through debilitation."